A computer controls an autoloader with a cable that connects the serial or
communication ports on the backs of the two machines. Attach one end of a
serial(RS-232) cable to the port on the back of the autoloader, referred to
as the autoloader port, and the other end to one of the computer's ports.
Computers typically have at least two serial ports, each of which is denoted
by a different Com Port(COM) number.
DiskDupe will support your autoloader on COM1, COM2, COM3, or COM4. Even
though you have a limited number of ports, different devices may need to use
those ports at various times. In a system with two serial ports, COM1 and
COM3 refer to one and COM2 and COM4 to the other. Since Dos supports only two
ports at once and the ports themselves are not shareable, if you have a mouse
configured as COM1 or COM3, you should connect the autoloader to COM2 or COM4.
There is no problem configuring the autoloader to COM2 while a modem is
configured to COM4 as long as you don't use both at the same time.
The COM port number used in DiskDupe should match the COM port number set on
the serial card. If you need to change the COM port on the serial card, it
can usually be done by changing the position of a jumper, a tiny plastic
sleeve that fits over a metal pin on the card, or sometimes through software.
Check your serial card (or "Super I/O card") documentation for this
information.
If DiskDupe is able to calibrate the autoloader, but then pauses and reports
a COM Timeout error, it's possible that the mouse is using the same COM port
or that there is another conflict, such as a network card using the same
interrupt.
